Candace S. Johnson, PhD, has been promoted to Cancer Center Director of Roswell Park Cancer Institute. In the new role, she will manage the Institute's Cancer Center Support Grant from the National Cancer Institute as Principal Investigator and will oversee faculty recruitment and allocation of resources including space, personnel, and institutional funds.
"Candace has been an outstanding leader of the scientific program at Roswell Park," Michael L. Joseph, Chair of the Roswell Park Board of Directors, said in a news release. "She has led by example with her field-leading research on the role of vitamin D in reducing cancer risk and has been a key driver of the Institute's notable growth in areas like immunotherapy and genomics."
Johnson also holds the Wallace Chair in Translational Research and is Chair of the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics at RPCI. She joined the RPCI faculty in 2002 from the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, where she was Deputy Director of Basic Research, and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, where she was Professor of Pharmacology and Medicine. Since 2008, she has been Roswell Park's Deputy Director, where she oversaw all basic, clinical and translational research.
Stephen P. Hunger, MD, has joined Children's Hospital of Philadelphia as Chief of the Division of Oncology and Director of the Center for Childhood Cancer Research. Prior to joining CHOP in November, he had been Director of the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders and the Ergen Family Chair in Pediatric Cancer at Children's Hospital of Colorado. He had also been Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and Chief of the Section of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/Bone Marrow Transplantation.
"Dr. Hunger has an impressive background as a clinician, investigator, teacher, and leader in pediatric oncology and will undoubtedly have a major impact at CHOP," Joseph St. Geme, MD, Physician-in-Chief and Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at CHOP, said in a news release.
Hunger's research focuses on acute lymphoblastic leukemia. He is a member of the Children's Oncology Group, where he has served on several study committees and as chair of the organization's ALL Committee since 2008. He also has served on NIH study sections and committees of the National Cancer Institute, the American Society of Hematology, and the American Society of Clinical Oncology, among others.
Sebastian Nijman, PhD, Principal Investigator at the Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, has been appointed Associate Member of Ludwig Cancer Research's Oxford Branch.
His research has focused on using new technologies to explore the molecular interactions by which drugs-and drug candidates-exert their effects within cells. His aim is to apply such novel pharmacogenomic technologies to improve the use of existing cancer drugs and develop novel therapies with a special emphasis on breast and lung cancers. Sebastian has described the first known mechanism of resistance to a new class of drugs that target the PI3K/mTOR signaling pathway, critical for cell metabolism and growth. He has also developed haploid cell lines, offering a powerful platform to study on a large scale the effects of knocking out, one at a time, nearly every gene encoded by the human genome.
Matthew Ellis, MD, PhD, Director of the Lester and Sue Smith Breast Cancer Center at Baylor College of Medicine has now been named a McNair Scholar there, which identifies influential researchers in breast and pancreatic cancer, juvenile diabetes and neuroscience.
Ellis's research has focused on discovering new information about mutations in breast cancer and their clinical relevance. He played a large role in developing a Genome Atlas and Therapeutic Road Map for estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. Most recently, he has found that metastatic breast tumors initially positive for the estrogen receptor frequently harbor mutations and translocations in the receptor that render the tumor resistant to endocrine therapies used to block estrogen.
Ellis joined Baylor as Breast Center Director earlier this year, and prior California, Irvine to that was most recently at Washington University, as Professor of Medicine, Head of Breast Oncology, and Head of Medical Oncology.
Susan M. O'Brien, MD, is joining University of California, Irvine Health as Associate Director for Clinical Science for the Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center and Medical Director of the Sue and Ralph Stern Center for Cancer Clinical Trials and Research, effective January 1. She will be responsible for overseeing and coordinating clinical cancer research across the entire UC Irvine Health enterprise, including medical oncology, radiation oncology, surgical oncology, and gynecologic oncology. And in her new role as Medical Director, she will expand the portfolio of early-phase clinical trials and launch a formal Experimental Therapeutics Program.
O'Brien was most recently at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, as the Ashbel Smith Professor in the Department of Leukemia. She has been principal investigator for some 40 funded clinical research protocols and is Chair of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia Guidelines Committee, a member of the NCCN Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Guidelines Committee, and the hematology member of the Southwest Oncology Group Executive Committee.
Gamini Soori, MD, MBA, has been appointed Vice Chair of the federal Council on Graduate Medical Education (COGME) by the U.S. Secretary of Health & Human Services. Soori has served on COGME since 2010. COGME advises Congress on graduate medical education, congressional appropriations, and national funding; makes recommendations regarding health care workforce issues; and is responsible for the longitudinal assessment of federally funded public health education programs. The Council works through public dialogue with national medical education leadership, and creation of an annual report with recommendations to Congress and the HHS Secretary.
Soori is in practice with the Nebraska Cancer Specialists and is Medical Director of CHI Bergan Mercy Cancer Center in Omaha, Nebraska. He is also Clinical Professor of Medicine at Creighton University School of Medicine, and serves as the Principal Investigator of Missouri Valley Cancer Consortium.
The V Foundation for Cancer Research has awarded its 2014 Translational and V Scholar Grants. The Translational Grant Program supports scientists transforming lab discoveries into clinical applications, awarding $600,000 grants over a three-year period. This year's recipients are:
* Scott Antonia, MD, PhD, of H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute;
* Nabeel Bardeesy, PhD, of Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center;
* Julie E. Bauman, MD, MPH, of University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute;
* Selina Chen-Kiang, PhD, of Weill Cornell Medical College;
* David Cheresh, PhD, of Moores Cancer Center at UC San Diego;
* Michael Deininger, MD, PhD, of Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah;
* Andrew Feinberg, MD, PhD, and Philip Cole, MD, PhD, of The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at the John Hopkins University;
* Michael C. Heinrich, MD, of Oregon Health and Science University;
* Darrell J. Irvine, PhD, of Koch Institute at Massachusetts Institute of Technology;
* Michael Ben Major, PhD, of UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center;
* Wendy Stock, MD, of University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center; and
* David J. Tweardy, MD, of Baylor College of Medicine.
In addition, the V Scholar program is designed to identify, retain and further the careers of talented young cancer investigators, awarding $200,000 grants over a two-year period to the recipients. For 2014 the recipients are:
* Omar Abdel-Wahab, MD, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center;
* Mazhar Adli, PhD, of University of Virginia Cancer Center;
* Ash A. Alizadeh, MD, PhD, of Stanford Cancer Center;
* Kara Bernstein, PhD, of Hillman Cancer Center at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute;
* Ben Croker, PhD, of Boston Children's Hospital;
* Emily Dykhuizen, PhD, of Purdue University Center for Cancer Research;
* Angela Fleischman, MD, PhD, of Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center at UC Irvine;
* Wenjun Guo, PhD, of Albert Einstein College of Medicine;
* Mohit Jain, MD, PhD, of Moores Cancer Center at UC San Diego;
* Randall J. Kimple, MD, PhD, of Carbone Cancer Center at the University of Wisconsin;
* Andrew Lane, MD, PhD, of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute;
* Megan McNerney, MD, PhD, of University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center;
* Chad V. Pecot, MD, of UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center;
* Karen S. Sfanos, PhD, of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at John Hopkins University;
* Agnel Sfeir, PhD, of NYU Langone Medical Center;
* Ruoning Wang, PhD, of Nationwide Children's Hospital;
* John S. Welch, MD, PhD, of Siteman Cancer Center at Washington University;
* Kenneth Westover, MD, PhD, of UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas;
* Omer Yilmaz, MD, PhD, of Koch Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology; and
* Weizhou Zhang, PhD, of University of Iowa Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Comprehensive Cancer Center and Alabama State University (ASU) have received a $1.5 million grant from the National Cancer Institute, which establishes a partnership to create a critical mass of research and researchers to reduce cancer health disparities in minorities. The grant will allow both institutions to conduct cancer-related research and training in terms of career development and education to aid underserved communities.
The four-year project will be guided by two scientists from each institution: Upender Manne, PhD, MS, Professor in the UAB Department of Pathology, and Isabel Scarinci, PhD, MPH, Professor in the Division of Preventive Medicine, both at UAB; and Manoj Mishra, PhD, Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, and Karyn Scissum-Gunn, PhD, Professor of Microbiology and Associate Provost of Academic Affairs, both at ASU.
"In view of the unequal burden of cancer borne by African-Americans, the locations of ASU and the UAB Cancer Center place this partnership in an ideal geographic region to address cancer health disparities within the state of Alabama by developing a pipeline of students, scientists and health care professionals from minority and medically underserved populations," Mann said in a news release. "Both institutions possess unique strengths that supplement each other."
The Ford Family Foundation has made a $5 million grant to the Knight Cancer Institute at Oregon Health & Science University to expand delivery of prevention and care expertise to rural Oregonians. The grant will also contribute to OHSU's goal of raising $500 million in two years as part of the $1 billion Knight Cancer Challenge campaign.
The grant provides $2.5 million each to two initiatives: (1) the creation of a statewide cancer prevention and outreach network that will provide community health care organizations with access to OHSU Knight Cancer Institute experts in cancer prevention, education, diagnostics, treatment, and survivorship, as well as offer support in directing patients to appropriate clinical trials; and (2) a plan to assist patients who must travel to OHSU for care, and need affordable, temporary accommodations conveniently located near OHSU clinics and hospitals.
"This ambitious project is sure to have many positive health, social, and economic impacts throughout Oregon, and we are proud to be a part of it," Karla Chambers, Chair of The Ford Family Foundation Board of Directors, said in a news release.
A $1.5 million gift has been given to establish the Embrace Kids Foundation Endowed Chair in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey-the single largest gift ever given by Embrace Kids Foundation. It will enable the Cancer Institute of New Jersey to recruit an internationally distinguished faculty member to lead the team that manages the care of patients with pediatric cancers and blood disorders and is accelerating pediatric cancer research efforts, especially in the area of precision medicine.
"The programs and services offered through Embrace Kids are complementary to what we at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey do in identifying and developing next-generation therapies for these children," Robert S. DiPaola, MD, Cancer Institute of New Jersey Director, said in a news release. "We are extremely grateful for this gift that will enable our team to recruit a highly accomplished leader in this field so that we can further advance the innovative work we do every day and apply it to our youngest patients."
Lisa Kennedy Sheldon, PhD, APRN, BC, AOCNP, Assistant Professor at the University of Massachusetts-Boston and Oncology Nurse Practitioner in the Cancer Center at St. Joseph Hospital in Nashua, New Hampshire, will serve as Editor of the Oncology Nursing Society's Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing effective June 1. She will serve as Editor Elect under current Editor Deborah K. Mayer, PhD, RN, AOCN, FAAN, starting in January.
"It has been my pleasure to be involved with CJON for almost 10 years as an author, peer reviewer, writing mentor, and an associate editor," Sheldon said in a news release. "Throughout my career, I have witnessed the impact of oncology nursing practice on the outcomes of people living after a diagnosis of cancer."
Her research has focused on communication and psychosocial concerns of people living after a cancer diagnosis.
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